CANADA A 'HAVEN' FOR MARIJUANA GROWERS

RCMP Fears Gang Involvement, 'Extreme Violence'

Lax laws have made Canada, and especially B.C., a "haven" for indoor
marijuana grow operations, raising fears of a violent turf war in B.C.'s
Lower Mainland between the Hells Angels and Vietnamese gangs, according to
an RCMP report.

The analysis from the RCMP's Criminal Intelligence Directorate reveals that
Vietnamese gangs, known for their "extreme violence," have been steadily
encroaching on the lucrative marijuana-growing industry historically
controlled by outlaw bike gangs in Ontario and B.C.

"The gradual arrival of Asian criminals in the marijuana growing business
in British Columbia originally raised serious concerns within the law
enforcement community about a potential all-out turf war with the Hells
Angels," according to the report.

Instead, the two groups have opted for "respective tolerance" and in some
cases have engaged in joint ventures.

"Since no one can predict how long this tacit peace agreement will last,
police will have to closely monitor the situation to identify any change
that could point towards a reversal of the situation."

The report, completed in November and quietly put on the RCMP Web site late
last month, says the industry is surging across Canada, with cultivation
operations concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, but is "most dramatic" in B.C.

The latest figures from Statistics Canada show that 44 per cent of Canada's
cultivation "incidents" are reported in B.C., compared with 28 per cent in
Quebec and 16 per cent in Ontario.

The report is also blunt in saying police need tougher laws and more
resources to fight the enormous growth in the cultivation industry, which
was once dominated by hippies, but is now controlled by violent criminals.

"High profitability, low risk, and relatively lenient sentences continue to
entice growers and traffickers, making it difficult, if not impossible, for
law enforcement agencies to make a truly lasting impact on the marijuana
cultivation industry in Canada."

Solicitor General Wayne Easter, who met with the RCMP in Surrey, B.C., last
month, said the federal government would consider passing tougher
sentencing laws.

"We have to ensure the deterrents are in place to stop this growth of
marijuana grow ops," Mr. Easter said yesterday.

The RCMP report cites a study by the University College of the Fraser
Valley, which examined almost 12,000 cases in B.C. between 1997 and 2000.

Jail terms were imposed in only 18 per cent of the cases, and the average
length was less than five months. A grower found guilty of possessing 45
kilograms of marijuana will face, at most, two years less a day, which
means the sentence is served in a provincial, rather than federal, institution.

"An individual convicted of the same crime in the United States will get
between 33 and 87 months in a federal institution."

Canadians who dismiss marijuana as a harmless drug should think twice, the
RCMP warns. "The link between marijuana cultivation and organized crime
cannot be overemphasized, and neither can the consequences for society. The
huge profits associated with grow operations are used by many criminal
groups to purchase other much more dangerous drugs or even weapons, and
finance various illicit activities."

Vietnamese gang activity in Vancouver's cannabis cultivation industry has
increased almost 20-fold between 1997 and 2000, according to police data.

Canadian Alliance MP Chuck Cadman said the government doesn't grasp the
gravity of the phenomenon.

"These are occurring in upscale homes that cost in excess of half a million
dollars each. These homes are being paid for with bags of money," said Mr.
Cadman.